The New York Knicks have been one of the most drama-filled organizations, not only in the NBA but in all of sports, over the past couple of months. Trade rumors surrounding forward Carmelo Anthony have dominated headlines this summer and his uncertainty also impacted the situation of Kristaps Porzingis.
It was reported months earlier that Porzingis wasn’t a fan of the way the Melo situation was being handled and was himself hesitant about his future with the club. A few months and a Phil Jackson firing later, the 7-footer has reportedly changed his stance on his current situation, saying he hopes to play out his career as a a Knick and calling New York ‘home.’ Following from Shaun Powell of NBA.com:
“So far it’s been tough in New York, but my journey is only beginning and I hope to stay there my whole career, so as a city we can have some fun and win some games and do something big,” he said.
“For me, it’s now home.”
Along with clarifying his loyalty to New York and the Knicks, Porzingis also once again reiterated his hopes that Anthony can find a way to mend relations with the organization and stay put in the Big Apple:
“I would love to have him around and keep playing alongside him. But it is what it is. It’s a business. If it ends, well … I don’t know, it’s out of my hands. I’m really thankful for these couple of years I’ve been with him.”
There’s no doubt having one of the most prolific scorers of this generation in Carmelo Anthony alongside him over his first few years played a role in the impressive start to the professional career of Kristaps Porzingis. Anthony and Porzingis share a mutual relationship on and off the court and not having Melo there would definitely make life tougher for the Latvian power forward.
However, it’s clear Porzingis is ready to lock in and get to work for the Knicks for the foreseeable future whether Melo remains or not, a good sign for an organization that desperately needs stability.
